Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-08-04
PISTOLS AND BLOOD.
The Handy Revolver Causes
Another Lite at Short Notice
in Custer County.
Tom Ryan Shot and Killed on
the Rosebud by A. G.
Vance.
ANOTHER KILLING.

Rosebud Valley the Scene of the Array.
Yesterday morning at about o'clock
another tragedy WAS enacted in Gus
ter county, the scene Of the killing
being A. G. Vanco's ranch, on the
Rosebud about twelve miles from the
railroad, Tom. ]. Ryan being the
name Of the man who was killed and,
A. G. Vance the one who killed him.
The following details of the killing
were given to US by A. g. Vance, and
until different story ID told will be
accepted rs truthful, We give his
story as nearly as possible in his own
words. About q year ago Ryan came
to work for me and has been aroun d
my place ever since. This season he
had Hi interest in the crop. Two or
three weeks past have known OF his
telling ugly stories about Inc and this
Wednesday, morning he and I and
Elihu Davis were in my kitchen.
Ryan was sitting at the foot Of the
bed working on bride and Davis
was helping him. | WAS standing
near the door; Ryan mace a remark
about me Of the same nature Of the
stories he had been telling, and /
then told him that | had heard he rad
Jeen talking about me; he replied that
he had and in manner that indicat-
ed that he did not feel sorry for it. 1
then said TO him, / have never given
you any cause 10 talk about me in that
manner, and any man that would
ray such things about another is q
---. When I allied him the
name be dropped the bride he had in
his hands, jumped up and made q
step or two toward me as If intending
to clinch me, but Immediately turned
toward the bead of the bed where his
revolver was hanging, grabbed il and
turning around, pulled down on me
and fired; As he fired ducked and re-
covering myself. grabbed my revolver
which Davis had been wea;ing and
had hung on the door near me, and rs
soon Ms It was in my hand pointed il
at Ryan and fired, not taking any par.
ticular aim; as fired Ryan had wheel.
ed sideways and wss in the act Of
dodging; the shot took effect in his
head behind the ear; he fell across the
corner of the bed his revolver ut full
cock falling from his hand to the floor.
Almos, Immediately after he gave a
slight struggle aud rolled from the
bed to the floor, dead. Elihu Davis
was the only witness: he had been be-.
hind Ryan when the trouble COM
menced and when / reached for my
gun he crosst d to the oiher side of the
room out of range. My wife was In
an adjoining room and my little girl
had but just left the kitchen where 1
hsd been playing with her. When
Ryan fell | stood and looked at him a
moment, then put the gul up and
went into the bedroom; Davis went
out OF the house, got q horse and rode
off TO tell the n.ighbors; Charley and
Billy Straw came to the house, and
after myself and family had left locked
it up, leaving everything just rs II was.
When the freight came along, | came
TO Miles City accompanied by j. II.
Hay and my brother 7. J. Vance aud
reported to the sheriff and the cor
ner."
Mr.. Vance told his story In 9
STRAIGHTFORWARD manner, with every
evidence of realizing the serious po
sition IN which he stood. Ryan wa,
was well known in and about Miles
City in the early day. He came here
about 1850 and was q buffalo hunter
for awhile and sfterwards we bell eve
worked for Major Macqueen at For,
Keogh. He had been about the Rose
bud for four years, working for tn,
DeHart, and Lee q Rustin cattle out.
fits until he went TO work for Vance.
While the killing appears TO have
been clearly In self defense, II is but
another instance Of the pernicious us,
of the ever ready revolver which toe
often is resorted to in the most trivia
of quarrels. Had Ryan followed what
was clearly his first intention, OF
clinching Vance and resenting the
opprobrious epithet with natures
weapons he would undoubtedly have
been alive to-day, and the awful re-
sponsibility OF having taken hnmar
life would not be on Vance's mind
The days of the gun" as au arbitrator
Of petty disputes should be numbered
GnaaiaI Auant noUnav nf IN,